Engine spacer plate gasket

ABSTRACT

A sealing assembly for establishing a gas and fluid tight seal in an internal combustion engine is provided. The sealing assembly includes a plate of metal which has a plurality of openings and at least one generally flat surface. The plate also has at least one shelf which circumferentially surrounds one of the openings and which opens to the generally flat surface and the opening. The sealing assembly further includes at least one sealing bead of an elastically compressible material which is engaged with the shelf and extends outwardly therefrom past the generally flat surface for sealing the plate with another component in the internal combustion engine.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/798,624, filed Mar. 15, 2013, the entire contents ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to internal combustion enginesand more particularly to seals for internal combustion engines.

2. Related Art

FIG. 1 shows a conventional internal combustion engine including anengine block and a cylinder head. The engine block has a cylinder borefor receiving a piston. The cylinder head and engine block also includea plurality of coolant holes for conveying a coolant between the engineblock and cylinder head and a plurality of bolt holes for receivingbolts to interconnect the cylinder head with the engine block. Analuminum plate is sandwiched between the cylinder head and engine blockand has openings which correspond with and are enlarged relative to thecylinder bore and coolant/bolt holes. The engine also includes acylinder sleeve, which is typically of a harder material than the engineblock and which lines the wall of the cylinder bore. The cylinder sleevehas a flange that extends towards the aluminum plate in the gap betweenthe engine block and the cylinder head.

The engine shown in FIG. 1 also includes a plurality of seals forestablishing gas and fluid tight seals between the engine block,cylinder head and cylinder sleeve. One of the seals is a rubber coatedsheet of metal which is sandwiched between the engine block and thealuminum plate. Another seal is a rubber grommet with a steel core whichcircumferentially surrounds the coolant/bolt holes. Yet another seal isa combustion seal for sealing the cylinder sleeve to the aluminum plateand to the cylinder head. The combustion seal has an outer armor piecewhich is bent to be generally C-shaped with an inner opening, a bodydisposed within the inner opening and a wire ring also disposed withinthe opening adjacent the ring body.

The rubber coated sheet seal, the rubber grommet with a steel core andthe ring shaped seal are all drop in components which must be manuallyplaced in their respective components of the engine during assembly ofthe engine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention includes a sealing assembly forestablishing a gas and fluid tight seal in an internal combustionengine. The sealing assembly includes a plate which is made of metal andhas a plurality of openings and at least one generally flat surface. Theplate has at least one shelf which circumferentially surrounds one ofthe openings and which opens to the generally flat surface and to one ofthe openings. At least one sealing bead of an elastically compressiblematerial is engaged with the shelf and extends outwardly therefrom pastthe at least one generally flat surface of the plate for sealing theplate with another component in the internal combustion engine. Thissealing assembly provides certain manufacturing advantages because theengagement between the sealing bead and the shelf of the plateeliminates the need for an additional seal to be added during assemblyof the internal combustion engine.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the sealing beadis engaged with the shelf of the plate through an overmoldingconnection.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the plateincludes a plurality of shelves, and the sealing assembly furtherincludes a combustion seal which is engaged with one of the shelves andcircumferentially surrounds one of the openings. The combustion seal mayhave an armor piece and a body ring and a wire ring. The combustion sealmay be interconnected with the shelf through an elastomeric bead whichis interconnected with the plate and with the armor piece throughovermolding connections.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the at leastone sealing bead includes at least one rib.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the plate is ofaluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Another aspect of the present invention provides for an internalcombustion engine which includes an engine block having a cylinder bore,a cylinder sleeve positioned in the cylinder bore and a cylinder head. Ametal plate is sandwiched between the engine block and the cylinderhead. The plate has a plurality of openings, at least one generally flatsurface and at least one shelf which circumferentially surrounds atleast one of the openings and which opens to the generally flat surfaceand to the opening. At least one sealing bead of an elasticallycompressible material is engaged with the at least one shelf and extendsoutwardly therefrom to seal against at least one of the engine block andthe cylinder sleeve and the cylinder head.

Still another aspect of the present invention provides for a method ofmaking a sealing assembly for an internal combustion engine. The methodincludes the step of preparing a plate of metal and having a pluralityof openings and at least one generally flat surface. The plate also hasat least one shelf which circumferentially surrounds one of the openingsand which opens to the generally flat surface and to the opening. Themethod further includes the step of injection molding an elasticallycompressible material into an overmolding engagement with the plate atthe at least one shelf to form a sealing bead.

Another aspect of the present invention includes the step of preparing acombustion seal and injection molding an elastomeric bead into anovermolding engagement with the combustion seal and at least one shelfof the plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by referenceto the following detailed description when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a known internal combustion engine;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a an internal combustion engineincluding a first exemplary embodiment of a sealing assembly;

FIGS. 3a-e are cross-sectional views of various exemplary embodiments ofseals for the sealing assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of another exemplaryembodiment of the sealing assembly;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of yet anotherexemplary embodiment of the sealing assembly;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of still anotherexemplary embodiment of the sealing assembly;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of a further exemplaryembodiment of the sealing assembly;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of yet a furtherexemplary embodiment of the sealing assembly;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of another exemplaryembodiment of the sealing assembly; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of yet anotherexemplary embodiment of the sealing assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENABLING EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 2, an aspect of the present invention provides animproved diesel fueled, compression ignition internal combustion engine18 which includes an engine block 20; a cylinder head 22; a cylindersleeve 24; and a sealing assembly with a metal plate 26 which issandwiched between the engine block 20 and the cylinder head 22. Theinternal combustion engine 18 is improved as compared to similar enginesbecause it offers improved sealing performance without the need for arubber coated sheet, any steel cored rubber grommets and a combustionseal as are commonly found in other known internal combustion engines ofthe type. This provides for material savings as well as quicker and morecost efficient assembly of the internal combustion engine. In theexemplary embodiment, the metal plate 26 is made of aluminum or analuminum alloy and is hereinafter referred to as the “aluminum plate26”. The aluminum plate 26 includes a plurality of openings whichcorrespond with the cylinder bore and with coolant and bolt holes 29 inthe engine block 20 and the cylinder head 22.

Referring still to FIG. 2, a first exemplary embodiment of the sealingassembly is generally shown. The aluminum plate 26 includes a pluralityof shelves 27 or ledges at the intersections of the aluminum plate 26,the cylinder head 22 and the engine block 20 at the coolant/bolt holes29 and at the cylinder sleeve 24. Each of the shelves 27 opens to atleast two surfaces of the aluminum plate 26, e.g., a top surface and oneof the coolant/bolt holes 29. As such, when viewed in cross-section, thealuminum plate 26 has a shelf 27 at each of its corners. Depending onthe particular application, the shelves 27 may have similar or differingsizes or configurations.

Beads 28 (hereinafter referred to as “corner beads 28”) of anelastically compressible material (such as rubber) are injection moldedinto engagement with the aluminum plate 26 at the shelves 27. In theexemplary embodiment, the aluminum plate 26 includes elastomeric cornerbeads 28 at the top and bottom of the coolant/bolt hole 29 and a singlecorner bead 28 at the intersection of the aluminum plate 26, engineblock 20 and cylinder sleeve 24. The corner beads 28 extendsubstantially circumferentially around the respective ones of thecoolant/bolt holes 29 and cylinder sleeve for establishing gas and fluidtight seals between the aluminum plate 26 and the various components towhich they are engaged. For example, one of the corner beads 28establishes a gas and fluid tight seal between the aluminum plates, theengine block 20 and the cylinder sleeve 24. Another corner bead 28establishes the gas and fluid tight seal between the aluminum plate 26and the engine block 20. Still another corner bead 28 establishes thegas and fluid tight seal between the aluminum plate 26 and the cylinderhead 22. The corner beads 28 are preferably connected with the aluminumplate 26 through an injection molding process. This may allow forquicker and/or simpler assembly of the internal combustion enginebecause the steps of dropping in the rubber coated sheet and the steelcored rubber molded grommets are not required. Additionally, because thecorner beads 28 are connected with the aluminum plate 26 before assemblyof the engine 18, the risk of an assembly worker forgetting any of thedrop in seals found in other known engines is eliminated. The cornerbeads 28 may be formed of any suitable elastically compressible sealingmaterial including, for example, synthetic or natural rubbers.

FIGS. 3a-e show various exemplary embodiments of the elastomeric cornerbeads 28 a-e. Each of these embodiments includes one or more raisedridges 32 a-e, ribs or other features which may have the effect ofreducing the risk of the bead cracking when put under compression,thereby improving the durability and life span of the seal provided. Theribs 32 a-e are preferably formed into the corner beads 28 a-e duringthe injection molding process. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3a ,the corner bead 28 a includes a pair of ridges 32 a which extend inopposite axial directions. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3b , thecorner bead 28 b includes two ridges 32 b which extend in one axialdirection and two ridges 32 b which extend in an opposite axialdirection. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3c , the corner bead 28 cincludes two ridges 32 c which extend in one axial direction, two ridges32 c which extend in an opposite axial direction, one ridge 32 c whichextends radially inwardly and one ridge 32 c which extends radiallyoutwardly. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3d , the corner bead 28 dincludes two ridges 32 d which extend raxially inwardly and two ridges32 d which extend radially outwardly. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 3e , each axial side of the corner bead 28 e includes an axiallyextending peak 32 e with a pair of valleys on either radial sidethereof.

Referring now to FIG. 4 wherein like numerals, separated by a factor of100, indicate corresponding parts with the above-described embodiments,yet another embodiment of the corner bead 128 is shown. In thisexemplary embodiment, the corner bead 128 has generally smooth surfacesin engagement with the aluminum plate 26 and a plurality of spaced apartribs 132 which face away from the aluminum plate 126. The ribs 132 mayprovide for improved sealing between the aluminum plate 126 and theother component to which it is sealed, e.g., the cylinder head, thecylinder sleeve or the engine block.

Referring back to the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, theinternal combustion engine 18 additionally includes a combustion seal 34which is sandwiched between an upper surface of the cylinder sleeve 24and the cylinder head 22 to establish a gas and fluid tight seal betweenthe cylinder sleeve 24 and the cylinder head 22, thereby trapping fueland combustion gasses in the cylinder bore. The exemplary combustionseal 34 has an armor piece 36 with a J-shape that has a long leg and ashort leg which are spaced from one another by a groove. A wire ring 38and a fiber-metal-fiber body ring 40 are at least partially disposedwithin the groove of the J-shaped armor piece 36. The J-shaped armorpiece 36 is interconnected with the aluminum plate 26 by an elastomericbead 30 which extends through an aperture in the long leg of theJ-shaped armor piece 36 and into a groove on the aluminum plate 26 toprovide an overmolding connection between the aluminum plate 26 and thecombustion seal 34. The elastomeric bead 30 may be injection molded intothe groove on the aluminum plate 26 and through the aperture in thearmor piece 36 before the aluminum plate 26 is inserted into the engine18 to provide for easier assembly of the engine 18.

Referring now to FIG. 5, with like numerals separated by a factor of 200identifying corresponding parts with the above-described embodiments,another exemplary embodiment of the combustion seal 234 is generallyshown. In this embodiment, the aluminum plate 226 is generallyrectangular with a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface, and theJ-shaped armor piece 236 of the combustion seal 234 is engaged with theflat top surface with an elastomeric bead 230 which is overmolded intoengagement with a groove in the flat top surface of the aluminum plate226.

Referring now to FIG. 6, with like numerals separated by a factor of 300indicating corresponding parts with the above-described embodiments, yetanother exemplary embodiment of the combustion seal 334 is generallyshown. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5, but thelong leg of the J-shaped armor piece 336 is disposed vertically abovethe short leg. An elastomeric bead 330 is sealed between the body of thecombustion seal 334 and the cylinder sleeve 324, and a corner bead 328is disposed at the intersection of the aluminum plate 326, the cylindersleeve 324 and the engine block 320.

Referring now to FIG. 7, with like numerals separated by a factor of 400indicating corresponding parts with the above-described embodiments,still another exemplary embodiment of the combustion seal 434 isgenerally shown. This exemplary embodiment is similar to the embodimentshown in FIG. 6 but the armor piece 436 is overmolded into engagementwith the aluminum plate 426 through an elastomeric bead 430.Additionally, in this embodiment, the combustion seal 434 lacks the bodyring found in the other embodiments discussed above. This may providefor additional cost savings.

Referring now to FIG. 8, with like numerals separated by a factor of 500indicating corresponding parts with the above-described embodiments,another exemplary embodiment of the combustion seal 534 is generallyshown. This exemplary embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 7,but the long leg of the armor piece 536 is bent at a downwardlyextending slope into the groove on the aluminum plate 526. This mayassist in restricting the armor piece 536 from extending radially pastthe cylinder sleeve 524 and into the combustion chamber of the engine.

Still another exemplary embodiment of the internal combustion engine isgenerally shown in FIG. 9 with like numerals separated by a factor of600 indicating corresponding parts with the above-described embodiments.In this exemplary embodiment, the bolt holes 629 in the aluminum plate626 are ribbed or generally star shaped as viewed from above to assistin locating the bolts and provide for easier assembly of the engine.

Yet a further exemplary embodiment of the internal combustion engine isgenerally shown in FIG. 10 with like numerals separated by a factor of700 indicating corresponding parts with the above-described embodiments.In this exemplary embodiment, the beads 728 are spaced radially from thebolt hole 729 and are disposed in grooves on the aluminum plate 726.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings and may be practicedotherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sealing assembly for establishing a gas andfluid tight seal in an internal combustion engine, comprising: a platemade of a metal, said plate having an exposed inner periphery whichsurrounds an axially extending coolant or bolt opening, and said platehaving at least one generally flat surface; said plate having a firstshelf which circumferentially surrounds said coolant or bolt opening andwhich opens radially to said coolant or bolt opening and which isrecessed in an axial direction relative to said generally planarsurface; and at least one sealing bead of an elastically compressiblematerial engaged with said first shelf and extending in said axialdirection past said at least one generally flat surface of said platefor sealing said plate with another component in the internal combustionengine and wherein said sealing bead extends axially past said generallyflat surface radially outwardly of said exposed inner periphery forminimizing intrusion of said sealing bead into said coolant or boltopening.
 2. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidsealing bead is engaged with said at least one shelf with an overmoldingconnection.
 3. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidplate further includes a combustion opening and a second shelf thatcircumferentially surrounds and opens radially to said combustionopenings and further including a combustion seal engaged with saidsecond shelf and circumferentially surrounding said combustion opening.4. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said combustionseal includes an armor piece and a body ring and a wire ring.
 5. Thesealing assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein an elastomeric beadinterconnects said armor piece of said combustion seal with said plate.6. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said elastomericbead is interconnected with said armor piece of said combustion seal andwith said plate through overmolding connections.
 7. The sealing assemblyas set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one sealing bead is of anelastomeric material.
 8. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1wherein said at least one sealing bead has at least one rib.
 9. Thesealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plate is ofaluminum or an aluminum alloy.
 10. An internal combustion engine,comprising: an engine block having a cylinder bore; a cylinder sleevepositioned in said cylinder bore; a cylinder head; a plate sandwichedbetween said engine block and said cylinder head, said plate being madeof metal, said plate having an exposed inner periphery which surroundsan axially extending coolant or bolt opening, said plate at least onegenerally flat surface, and said plate having a first shelf whichcircumferentially surrounds said coolant or bolt opening and which opensradially to said coolant or bolt opening and which is recessed in anaxial direction relative to said generally planar surface; and at leastone sealing bead of an elastically compressible material engaged withsaid first shelf of said plate and extending in said axial direction toseal against said engine block or said cylinder sleeve or said cylinderhead and wherein said sealing bead extends axially past said generallyflat surface radially outwardly of said exposed inner periphery forminimizing intrusion of said sealing bead into said coolant or boltopening.
 11. The internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 10wherein said plate further includes a combustion opening and a secondshelf which surrounds and opens radially to said combustion opening andfurther including a combustion seal positioned on said second shelfsurrounding said combustion opening and establishing a seal between saidcylinder sleeve and said cylinder head and further including anelastomeric bead overmolded with said plate and with said combustionseal to connect said combustion seal with said plate.